U S Satellite Inc

Obscenity charges have been issued against a satellite adult-movie channel and three other companies, including GTE Corp., over broadcasts of what officials described as hard-core sex movies. Four companies and 10 individuals were indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury over the movies, which authorities said were picked up on home satellite dishes and, in some cases, recorded and viewed by teen-agers. Among those named in the 18-count indictment unsealed Friday were GTE Corp.

Obscenity charges have been issued against a satellite adult-movie channel and three other companies, including GTE Corp., over broadcasts of what officials described as hard-core sex movies. Four companies and 10 individuals were indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury over the movies, which authorities said were picked up on home satellite dishes and, in some cases, recorded and viewed by teen-agers. Among those named in the 18-count indictment unsealed Friday were GTE Corp.

The Justice Department turned off the nation's only satellite pornography network Thursday, obtaining an agreement from its owners to plead guilty to felony obscenity charges and to cease operations. The American Exxxstasy station was pioneering a potential new market by broadcasting hard-core adult movies daily to 30,000 nationwide subscribers equipped with their own satellite dishes. The service cost $300 a year.